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Climate change and escaping ornamentals: Predicting the next generation of European plant invaders

Subject Area Ecology and Biodiversity of Plants and Ecosystems
Term from 2013 to 2017
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 243578921
 
Final Report Year 2018

Final Report Abstract

Most naturalized and harmful invasive alien plant species in Europe have once been intentionally introduced for ornamental purposes. Thus, it is likely that also future plant invaders will be recruited from those ornamental plants currently growing in our gardens. Ongoing climate change might create increasingly suitable conditions for many ornamental plants, particularly those with origins in warmer regions with more variable rainfall patterns. This may result in new invasions by formerly unproblematic ornamental plants. Identifying such “sleeping” invaders before they escape and spread is highly desirable, and would give stakeholders (e.g. invasive-plant managers, the ornamental plant industry) a head start in preventing future invasions. In our research consortium, we combined modelling studies and experiments to assess invasion potential of a large number of ornamental plants under different scenarios of future climate change. We assessed which of these species will most likely establish and become invasive, and which regions of Europe will most likely be affected by invasions, under climate change.

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